Linotype-machine



No. 609,770. Patented Aug. 30, i898.

l G. A. BATES. LINUTYPE MACHINE.

' edM 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

Re. 609,770. Patented Aug. 30,1 i898.V G. A. BATES.

LINDTYPE MACHINE.

(Application led Mar. 10. 1896.)

(No Model.) l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

WIT/VESSES.'

NTTEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. BATES, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE MERGEN- TIIALER LINOTYPE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 609,770, dated August SO, 1898.

Application filed March l0, 1896.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. BATES, of New York, (Brooklyn,) county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Linotype-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In linotype-machines, more particularly those of the Mergenthaler type, it is customary to produce linotypes or slugs, each bearing the characters to print an entire line, by delivering molten metal into a suitable mold against sin gle-letter matrices temporarily assembled in line against the face of the mold.

In these machines it is customary to deliver the slugs from the mold between two trimming-knives, by which they are dressed to a uniform thickness. In some cases it is desirable to provide the linotypes with one or more two-line lettersuthat is to say, letters which are larger than the face of the bar and of the remainingletters or characters. These two-line letters produced in the form and manner represented in Letters Patent of the United States granted to Ottmar Mergenthaler, No. 551,981, dated December 24, 1895, project or overhang on one side of the slug or linotype. It is therefore impossible to deliver the slugs with these overhanging characters between the ordinary trimming-knives, as they would sever the overhanging portion. It is therefore necessary to provide machines in which the two-line letters are produced with knives specially arranged, so that they will trim the body of the slug without acting on the overhanging characters. It is also desirable to provide means for trimming the edge of the overhanging character, so that any bur or fin thereon may be removed.

My invention is directed to these ends; and it consists, first, in an adjustable knife constructed and mounted in such manner that it may be adjusted to trim the entire surface of the slug or to trim only that portion which is to one side of the overhanging character, as demanded.

It further consists, broadly, in so mounting the knife that it may be adjusted endwise-V that is to say, in the direction of the length of the passing slug.

It also consists in a supplemental knife to trim the edge of the overhanging character Serial No. 582,638. (No model.)

and in means by which the trimming-knife may be positively adj usted forward and backward.

Except as to the features hereinafter described the machine may be in all respects of ordinary construction, and I have therefore limited the accompanyingdrawings to those parts with which my invention is immediately associated.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of my adjustable knife and its adjuncts, looking from the interior of the inachine outward in the direction in which a slug is ejected. Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal cross-sections of the same on the correspondingly-numbered lines of the preceding figure. Fig. 4t is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 4 e of the preceding figures. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the linotype-slugs with an overhanging letter. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the main knife.

Referring to the drawings, A and B represent the two knives between which the slug is ejected, the former being attached rigidly to the machine, while the latter is adjusted as hereinafter described.

C represents a portion of the main frame commonly known as the knifeblock,7 having its face adapted to receive and support the knife B, which is connected thereto by means of two bolts D, passing horizontally through the block, the opening through which these bolts pass being of such size that the knife may be adjusted to and from its companion in order to trim slugs of different thicknesses, and also adjustable vertically for the purpose hereinafter described.

The adjustment of the knife to and from its companion has long been practiced in linotype-machines; but I believe the present to be the first instance in which there was any provision for eecting the vertical adjustment of the knife, and, as will hereinafter appear, this is an important feature of my invention.

E E are screws threaded through the knifeblock and acting against the back ofthe knife B to give it support and regulate its distance from the knife A, as usual.

E F are the customary screws for regulating the distance between the two knives;

a ec 9,770

G is a vertical screw tapped through a lip on the lowerend of the knife-block and acting against the lower end of the knife B to effect its vertical adjustment. 1

Referring to the knife B, it will be observed that the lower portion of its edge between the points b c is straight and unbroken, so that it may give the passing slug a true iat surface.

It will be observed that above the portion c the edge of the knife is cut away, leaving the open space or cavity d for the passage of the overhanging lip or ear on the slug.` The shape and position of the slug are indicated by dotted lines, and when it is ejected between the knives and the knife B adjusted to the proper height the body of the slug will pass between and be acted upon by both knives, while the overhanging ear will pass freely through the opening d. When the edge of the ear is to be trimmed, I provide a second` ary knife H, the forward cutting edge of which stands in suitable position to dress the edge of the overhanging ear or character on the slug. During the trimming of the edge of the ear it lies against and is sustained by the face of the mold against which it is cast, as usual. The mold has, as usual, a slight forward motion just in advance of the ejection of the slug, so that the ear is trimmed by the secondary knife before the advance of the slug outof the mold and toward the knife begins. As this ear will project a greater or less distance according to the size of the type characters in use, the knife His preferably made adjustable, as shown, being secured to the main knife by a bolt h, passing through a slot and guided by pins or studs 72.. It is moved forward and backward and secured in a required position by a horizontal screw, which is tapped into the back of the mai-n knife, this thread having a circumferential iian ge z' engaging a slot in the knife I-I, so that as the screw I is turned the knife I-I is moved positively forward or backward. This mode of positively adjusting the knife both forward and backward may be used also in connection with the main knife, if desired. By adjusting the knife B vertically-that is to say, in the direction of its length and of the length of the slug--the end of the trimming-surface b c may be raised or lowered, and thus the body of the slug may-be trimmed to a greater or less portion of its length, according to the width of the overhangin g ear or character, or the knife 1n ay be raised so far as to trim the slug throughout its length when the ear is not employed.

direction of the length of the passing slug,

and it is manifest that the details of construction and means of adjustment may be varied within the range of mechanical skill.

The two knives herein shown are of themaxi mum length used in linotype-machines, it being the custom in all cases to make these yknives of such length that they will trim the long slugs used in bookwork.

In the case of newspaper-lines, which are comparatively short, that part of the main knife lying below the notch CZ is sufficient-ly long to trim the slugs and the portion of the knife above the notch is inoperative and may be omitted. The upper part is retained in such cases merely as a matter of convenience in manufacture.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. In a linotype-machine, the combination of a main knife to trim the body of the slug, and a secondary-knife extending endwise beyond the cutting portion of the main knife, and also extending beyond the main knife in the direction from which the slug is advanced; whereby the secondary knife is adapted to act on the overhanging ear of the slug before the body portion is trimmed.

2. In a linotype-machine, a trimming-knife B anda secondary trimming-knife I-I mounted thereon in position to trim a different portion of the slug and adjustable forward and backward in relation thereto.

3. In a linotype-machine, a trimming-knife B adjustable forward and backward and a secondary knife H adjustable forward and backward independently of the other,the two having parallel cutting edges arranged to act on different portions of the slug, substantially as described. Y

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 27th day of February, 1896, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

. GEORGE A. BATES. Witnesses:

GEORGE Cook RIDER,

JAMES GILLIARD PARSONS.

IOO 

